The Fixer (An outtake from the Picture)
by burkygirl
Summary: Ry got them together before. He was certain he could do it again.


**The Fixer**

AN - This is an outtake from the wedding scene in Chapter 5 of The Picture, from Ry's POV.

Ryan Mellark watched his best friend and law partner draw his beautiful new wife into his arms on the dance floor. Finnick Odair gazed deeply into Annie's eyes and she stared back in adoration as they began to circle in the spotlight. They saw no one else.

It was a bit sickening to be honest. He far preferred Delly's spunk and take-me-as-I-am attitude. Not that they were in love. Except for her tits. He might be in love with her tits. He flicked his gaze to the woman in question and found her talking animatedly to his little brother Peeta, who was doing his best to pay attention while repeatedly glancing over at his ex-girlfriend, Katniss Everdeen.

Now Peeta and Katniss - that situation was sickening. Their inability to get their shit together was really pissing him off.

Johanna Mason appeared at his side, a glass of champagne in hand. "Almost time to complete our duties for the evening, Gorgeous."

He grinned at Jo. "Thank fuck."

Jo threw back her head and laughed. "Do you kiss your girlfriend with that mouth?"

Ry wiggled his eyebrows. "She loves my dirty mouth."

Jo rolled her eyes and her shoulders rose and fell as she laughed silently. "So, are we still doing this?"

Ry steeled his jaw and nodded. "Yep."

"Ry, maybe we shouldn't interfere."

He turned to her. "I got them together before. I can do it again," he said fiercely. "They are fucking falling apart Jo."

"Can't we just lock them in the same room and not let them come out until they make up? I'm not very good at the touchy-feely stuff."

Ry shook his head. "Finnick and Annie tried that yesterday." He rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. "Look, you don't need to be mushy, OK? We just need to open their eyes a little bit." He pointed at Katniss who was staring at Peeta. "Look at how stupid they are. Staring at each other across the room like they used to do in high school. If we don't do something, she is going to be sleeping on your couch for the rest of her life. And yours."

He let that process for a second and returned to watching the bride and groom while Jo sipped her champagne, periodically tapping her finger on the flute. From the corner of his eye he could see her lips purse as she watched Katniss and Peeta.

Out on the dance floor, the music was swelling to a finish and Finnick spun Annie out and then back into his arms. When the music ended, he dipped her over his knee and lowered his lips to his bride's. The crowd cheered. Ry looked to Jo for her decision. She nodded.

"You take Brainless. I'll take Blondie."

When the deejay called for the rest of the wedding party to join the bride and groom on the floor, Ry rushed over to Katniss and then saw that Jo had successfully distracted his brother. He held out his hand to Katniss and bowed. "Ms. Everdeen, may I have the honour of this dance?"

Katniss looked at him in gratitude and relief. "Thank you, Ry. You may."

Once his hand was on her waist, Ry realized how much weight she'd lost. Katniss had always been slender, but now she was far too thin. They danced for a few seconds, saying nothing, while Ry gathered his thoughts. Then the usually taciturn Katniss surprised him by making small talk.

"So how are things with the firm?

He smiled down at Katniss. "They're fine. We're keeping the bills paid."

"Lots of high-paying clients?"

"Enough." He shrugged. "We can't do the Pro Bono work we really want to do without rich folks to subsidize it."

Katniss surprised him by telling him how proud she was of the work he and Finnick did to help street kids in trouble with the law.

"They need help, Katniss. A lot of them are there because they decided street was safer than home, if you can believe it. I tried to do it through the Public Defender's office, but there just isn't enough time or money to do that job right." He sighed. "This is better. We can pick and choose our cases and then give them the time they deserve. It's still just a drop in the bucket."

Katniss bit down on her lip and stared at the lapels of his tuxedo.

"Well, your mother must be proud of you," she said.

"Katniss." Ry addressed her sternly and she looked up at him. "My mother doesn't give a shit about our Pro Bono work. It's taken me a long time to realize this, but she doesn't give a shit about anything but herself." Katniss shook her head and dropped her gaze again. "My mother is a hard core, Grade A bitch. Nothing we do is ever good enough. It's pointless to try to please her and I've stopped trying."

Katniss said nothing, but Ry could tell she was listening. He twirled her under his arm and when they were circling the floor again, he decided it was the best opening he was going to get.

"Peeta figured it out first, I'm ashamed to say. We were just kids. He was maybe six or so. He came home from school with some art that he'd done. He was so proud of it. The art teacher had praised it. She took one look at it and told him it was past time he stopped dreaming and doodling and then threw it in the garbage."

Ry still remembered the heartbreak on his brother's face. "He's been careful with her ever since. If it's important to Peeta, she doesn't get near it. He just freezes her out and lives his life the way he wants to."

She looked up at him then, fire in her eyes. "So I'm just supposed to accept it? That I'm some dirty little secret? Not good enough to go to weddings or be invited to Christmas dinner?"

The music ended and while the crowd applauded them, Ry drew Katniss into a hug.

"Oh Katniss," he whispered. "You've got it backwards. Mother is our family's dirty little secret. She's poison. Peeta's not trying to hide you. He's trying to protect you."

When he let her go, Ry's would-be sister-in-law wore a thoughtful expression on her face. He reached up and stroked her cheek with his thumb. "Just think about it, OK? Baby brother is a fucking mess without you."

He left her on the edge of dance floor, carefully watching Peeta again.

The spotlight went down and was replaced by a laser light show. Paramore's Still Into You poured through the speakers. He turned around to find himself face to face with Finnick, who sported Cheshire cat grin.

"Dude! I got married!" Finnick screamed in his ear before they fell over each other in a back-pounding hug. He couldn't tell whether Finn was drunk champagne or on love. Probably a little of both. Jo joined Ry, Finn and Annie on the floor, bobbing up and down to the beat. Delly rushed out and wrapped her arms around them, squealing about how much she loved them all. But the group hug still felt empty without Katniss and Peeta.

Ry looked over his shoulder. Peeta leaned against a pillar, sipping his champagne alone, not far from the door where Katniss was slipping out, her eyes still on his brother.

Ry wished they'd just fucking fix it.


End file.
